Overview

John Farrell is about to get "The Cure." Old age can never kill him now. The only problem is, everything else still can . . .

Imagine a near future where a cure for aging is discovered and-after much political and moral debate-made available to people worldwide. Immortality, however, comes with its own unique problems-including evil green people, government euthanasia programs, a disturbing new religious cult,...

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This Book

Overview

John Farrell is about to get "The Cure."
Old age can never kill him now.
The only problem is, everything else still can . . .

Imagine a near future where a cure for aging is discovered and-after much political and moral debate-made available to people worldwide. Immortality, however, comes with its own unique problems-including evil green people, government euthanasia programs, a disturbing new religious cult, and other horrors. Witty, eerie, and full of humanity, The Postmortal is an unforgettable thriller that envisions a pre-apocalyptic world so real that it is completely terrifying.

What People Are Saying

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

The "postmortals" of the title of this debut novel, set in the near future, have voluntarily undertaken "the cure," a form of gene therapy that bestows eternal youth although not immortality: recipients can still die of disease or be killed. But as narrator John Farrell explains, taking the cure is a way of sitting "in immortality's waiting room." An odd mixture of satire and dystopian fantasy, this thoughtful novel cleverly explores the consequences of having a long-term lease on life, from the mundane (a woman realizes "I'm always gonna get my period") to the profound (the world's resources exhausted by an ever-growing population) through a series of short, date-stamped blog posts found in 2090 and considered "one of the definitive personal records of life in the former United States" during the 60 years after the cure was discovered. The premise is fascinating, and Magary, a comic sports blogger and satirist (Men with Balls), has an eye for the odd, surprising detail that makes science fiction credible. The plot, though, is little more than an extended exploration of the ramifications of the cure, none of them pleasant. While there's a certain pleasure in watching this brave new world unfold on the page, the narrator's passivity becomes tiresome, and the dry, ironic tone is at odds with the dark vision of a future gone amok. (Aug. 30)

The Austin Chronicle

Unnerving. . . . An absorbing picture of dawning apocalypse. . . . A disturbing portrait of a society convinced it's close to utopia when a cure for aging is invented. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long for that seeming utopia to dissolve into a planet-overstressed from overpopulation, food and fuel shortages, and general lawlessness-going into systemic failure. . . . The Postmortal is a suitably chilling entry into the 'it's-the-end-of-the-world' canon.

The New York Press

Magary's vision of future technology and science is eerily realistic. . . . By the time you finish, you'll want to hold your loved ones close and stockpile bottles of water. If all else fails, you could potentially make a living selling them a few decades from now.

Booklist

An exciting page turner. . . . Drew Magary is an excellent writer. This is his first novel but he tells the story masterfully. . . . The most frightening thing about The Postmortal is that this could really happen-it's not a supernatural story, but it's even more terrifying than zombie apocalypse.

The Nervous Breakdown

The Postmortal is a punchy, fast-paced and endearing story. . . . As the novel progresses, it turns from a snappy morality tale, to a noir- ish revenge fable, to an action movie; complete with guns, rogue religious cults and government-sanctioned hit men. The narrative comes to us through John's blog entries and collections of news bytes and pundit commentary. Through his sixty years as a 29-year-old, he experiences all the love, pain, grief, and terror of a standard lifetime and is still in good enough shape to kick some ass at the end. Like much good dystopian fiction, The Postmortal is an at-times unflattering commentary on human beings, present, past and future, that hits the mark in many ways. . . . For anyone intrigued with Life Extension science, it's a fun examination of our fears and expectations.

From the Publisher

"Unnerving. . . . An absorbing picture of dawning apocalypse. . . . A disturbing portrait of a society convinced it's close to utopia when a cure for aging is invented. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long for that seeming utopia to dissolve into a planet-overstressed from overpopulation, food and fuel shortages, and general lawlessness-going into systemic failure. . . . The Postmortal is a suitably chilling entry into the 'it's-the-end-of-the-world' canon." — The Austin Chronicle

"Magary's vision of future technology and science is eerily realistic. . . . By the time you finish, you'll want to hold your loved ones close and stockpile bottles of water. If all else fails, you could potentially make a living selling them a few decades from now." — The New York Press

"An exciting page turner. . . . Drew Magary is an excellent writer. This is his first novel but he tells the story masterfully. . . . The most frightening thing about The Postmortal is that this could really happen-it's not a supernatural story, but it's even more terrifying than zombie apocalypse." — Mark Frauenfelder, BoingBoing

"The first novel from a popular sports blogger and humorist puts a darkly comic spin on a science fiction premise and hits the sweet spot between Margaret Atwood and Kurt Vonnegut. . . . [Magary] understands that satire is most effective when it gives the real world a gently absurd nudge, then lets its characters react much as we ourselves might under the same circumstances." — Ron Hogan, Shelf Awareness

"Immortality has figured in a number of sf novels prior to this one, but never, to my experience, in this way. . . . A very clear-eyed picture, one I don't think has been drawn before. . . . The Postmortal surprised me in a good way." — Michelle West, Fantasy & Science Fiction magazine

"The Postmortal is a punchy, fast-paced and endearing story. . . . As the novel progresses, it turns from a snappy morality tale, to a noir- ish revenge fable, to an action movie; complete with guns, rogue religious cults and government-sanctioned hit men. The narrative comes to us through John's blog entries and collections of news bytes and pundit commentary. Through his sixty years as a 29-year-old, he experiences all the love, pain, grief, and terror of a standard lifetime and is still in good enough shape to kick some ass at the end. Like much good dystopian fiction, The Postmortal is an at-times unflattering commentary on human beings, present, past and future, that hits the mark in many ways. . . . For anyone intrigued with Life Extension science, it's a fun examination of our fears and expectations." — The Nervous Breakdown

"A darkly comic, totally gonzo, and effectively frightening population- bomb dystopia in the spirit of Logan's Run, Soylent Green, and the best episodes of The Twilight Zone." — Neal Pollack, author of Alternadad and Stretch

"As insanely entertaining as it is ambitious, The Postmortal takes us into an America set in the next few years and coming apart under the onslaught of a dreadful new plague—that of human immortality. Magary possesses an explosive imagination and let loose in The Postmartal, he creates an alternate history of the near future that feels real and is probably inevitable. Read The Postmortal if you want to find out what happened to the human race in our last violent and absurd few years in New York." — Evan Wright, author of Generation Kill

“As insanely entertaining as it is ambitious, The Postmortal takes us into an America set in the next few years and coming apart under the onslaught of a dreadful new plague—that of human immortality. Magary possesses an explosive imagination and let loose in The Postmartal, he creates an alternate history of the near future that feels real and is probably inevitable. Read The Postmortal if you want to find out what happened to the human race in our last violent and absurd few years in New York.” — L. Jon Wertheim, coauthor of Scorecasting

"As someone who is totally freaked out by the thought of dying, The Postmortal really stood on top of me and peed on my face. It's depiction of the future isn't filled with crappy robots fighting Will Smith. It's filled with eerily realistic portrayals of what the future could look like and does it all in an incredibly entertaining story." — Justin Halpern, author of Sh*t My Dad Says

-The Austin Chronicle

"Unnerving. . . . An absorbing picture of dawning apocalypse. . . . A disturbing portrait of a society convinced it's close to utopia when a cure for aging is invented. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't take long for that seeming utopia to dissolve into a planet-overstressed from overpopulation, food and fuel shortages, and general lawlessness-going into systemic failure. . . . The Postmortal is a suitably chilling entry into the 'it's-the-end-of-the-world' canon."

-The New York Press

"Magary's vision of future technology and science is eerily realistic. . . . By the time you finish, you'll want to hold your loved ones close and stockpile bottles of water. If all else fails, you could potentially make a living selling them a few decades from now."

-Mark Frauenfelder

"An exciting page turner. . . . Drew Magary is an excellent writer. This is his first novel but he tells the story masterfully. . . . The most frightening thing about The Postmortal is that this could really happen-it's not a supernatural story, but it's even more terrifying than zombie apocalypse."

-Ron Hogan

"The first novel from a popular sports blogger and humorist puts a darkly comic spin on a science fiction premise and hits the sweet spot between Margaret Atwood and Kurt Vonnegut. . . . [Magary] understands that satire is most effective when it gives the real world a gently absurd nudge, then lets its characters react much as we ourselves might under the same circumstances."

-Michelle West

"Immortality has figured in a number of sf novels prior to this one, but never, to my experience, in this way. . . . A very clear-eyed picture, one I don't think has been drawn before. . . . The Postmortal surprised me in a good way."

-The Nervous Breakdown

"The Postmortal is a punchy, fast-paced and endearing story. . . . As the novel progresses, it turns from a snappy morality tale, to a noir- ish revenge fable, to an action movie; complete with guns, rogue religious cults and government-sanctioned hit men. The narrative comes to us through John's blog entries and collections of news bytes and pundit commentary. Through his sixty years as a 29-year-old, he experiences all the love, pain, grief, and terror of a standard lifetime and is still in good enough shape to kick some ass at the end. Like much good dystopian fiction, The Postmortal is an at-times unflattering commentary on human beings, present, past and future, that hits the mark in many ways. . . . For anyone intrigued with Life Extension science, it's a fun examination of our fears and expectations."

-Neal Pollack

"A darkly comic, totally gonzo, and effectively frightening population- bomb dystopia in the spirit of Logan's Run, Soylent Green, and the best episodes of The Twilight Zone."

-Evan Wright

"As insanely entertaining as it is ambitious, The Postmortal takes us into an America set in the next few years and coming apart under the onslaught of a dreadful new plague—that of human immortality. Magary possesses an explosive imagination and let loose in The Postmartal, he creates an alternate history of the near future that feels real and is probably inevitable. Read The Postmortal if you want to find out what happened to the human race in our last violent and absurd few years in New York."

-L. Jon Wertheim

“As insanely entertaining as it is ambitious, The Postmortal takes us into an America set in the next few years and coming apart under the onslaught of a dreadful new plague—that of human immortality. Magary possesses an explosive imagination and let loose in The Postmartal, he creates an alternate history of the near future that feels real and is probably inevitable. Read The Postmortal if you want to find out what happened to the human race in our last violent and absurd few years in New York.”

-Justin Halpern

"As someone who is totally freaked out by the thought of dying, The Postmortal really stood on top of me and peed on my face. It's depiction of the future isn't filled with crappy robots fighting Will Smith. It's filled with eerily realistic portrayals of what the future could look like and does it all in an incredibly entertaining story."

Library Journal

In the year 2019, the cure for aging is discovered, and this clears the way for "postmortalism"—humans who will not grow old, although they can still contract disease, get hit by a bus, or die from other, less-than-natural causes. Soon it becomes clear that eternal youth has its own problems, including pro-death terrorists, shrinking resources, and the disintegration of the core elements that make up the fabric of society. Marriage? Only in 40-year increments. Children? Superfluous, since there's no need to perpetuate the species. Religion? Passé, except for the newly minted, cultlike Church of Man. And, eventually, government-sanctioned euthanasia known as "end specialization." VERDICT Magary's (Men with Balls: The Professional Athlete's Handbook) wit as a blogger and satirist is put to good use in this clever novel, which is told through a series of darkly funny blog entries and news reports. His engaging voice makes for a fast-paced and compelling read right up to the last third of the book, when the story morphs into the predictable apocalypse. Still, it's a great ride up to that point—a must-read for fans of postmodern dystopia in the vein of Margaret Atwood, Chuck Palahniuk, and Neil Gaiman.—Jeanne Bogino, New Lebanon Lib., NY

Related Subjects

Meet the Author

Drew Magary is a correspondent for GQ and a columnist for Deadspin and Gawker. He’s also the author of the critically acclaimed novels Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenthood, and Men with Balls: The Professional Athlete’s Handbook. He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids.

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One of my favorite reads of the year.

Im extremely happy that i stumbled upon this gem of a novel. I couldn't put it down!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted August 20, 2013

I very much like Drew Magary as a comedic blogger on Deadspin, b

I very much like Drew Magary as a comedic blogger on Deadspin, but I think he stumbles in his first attempt to translate that writing style into the novel format. The story itself has a compelling hook (post-mortality), but the novel lacks significant character development and jumps from one superficial plot event to the next without pausing to introspectively contemplate or explain developments in the main character or the world he inhabits. The book is a quick read and the premise of the story is provoking enough to get you through to the finish, but it's just not deep enough to make you really care about the characters or their fates.

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Anonymous

Posted May 13, 2013

Quick Vacation Read

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Postmortal. The only thing I found somewhat lacking was a greater in-depth look to the world Drew Magary was building. As the title mentions, I did think this book was great for a time-killer while I was vacationing at the beach and for the plane ride.

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Anonymous

Posted March 21, 2013

Always recommend now

I came upon this book and the idea grabbed me instantly. Such a great book and really makes you think. Towards the end it did seem to drag, and did not like the ending.

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Anonymous

Posted November 28, 2012

Truly Excellent.

Truly Excellent.

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Anonymous

Posted July 1, 2012

It's an okay read, but only sporadically clever. The idea for t

It's an okay read, but only sporadically clever. The idea for the story is a good one, and got me intrigued enough to buy the book. The first third or so of the book is probably the best because it deals with postmortalism becoming a new reality. Unfortunately, the story starts skipping long periods of the main character's life after that, and too often glosses over just why indefinite lifespans create the conditions that they do, and how people got together to bring about the dystopian future described. For me, this book lacked an engaging flow with the time gaps and the blog/news story chapters. The main character becomes increasingly unlikable throughout the book. You can decide for yourself whether that matters. Magary is also very very fond of similes. Many are strange and somewhat inspired, but too often the abundance of similes served to make the reading tedious and repetitive feeling. It's a thought provoking book, but in the end it fails to capitalize on its own potential.

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Anonymous

Posted May 19, 2012

Great

I was really glad I picked this up. Made me think.

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Anonymous

Posted March 22, 2012

GREAT READ

Very compelling, couldn't stop reading it

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Do You Wnat to Be Forever Young? Really?

So, the story is, John lives in a world (in the not-so-distant future) where with just a few shots, one can defy the aging process for-ev-er! You could still die from accidents or even disease, but not from growing old. Sounds great, right? The world has always actively tried to stop aging, no more so than right now.

Well, think again, my friend. With fewer people dying, the world's population (already at a tipping point) becomes a burden on our dwindling resources. Also, the moral and logistical implications of living forever (as long as you are accident and disease free) start to set in. In The Postmortal, anti-cure sects pop up (religious and secular) and it's obvious that not everyone thinks stopping the natural aging process is the best plan ever.

I think I love futuristic/dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels because I am intrigued by other people's predictions of how our lives might play out in the future under certain circumstances. In The Postmortal, we are given that vision in spades. One of my favorite aspects of this novel was the theoretical consequences of never aging. Such as: Do you really want to be married forever now that it really means eternity with the same person? No retirement plan? No problem, buddy, because you will be working for the next 400 years or so just to sustain your young lifestyle. Think you're bored now, just imagine hundreds of years spread out before you while you live your little life forever and ever and ever...

The Postmortal is not all gloom and doom (at times it's snarky and hilarious), but it does cleverly present concrete arguments against the quest for eternal life. The plot is well-conceived and the pace is frenzied. I found myself caring about John and wanting to know where this world was going to take him. At the end of the book, I still wanted more! The Postmortal also has has the elements of romance, mystery and thriller that kept me glued to the pages. Great book that I would recommend to anyone curious about the consequences if we all stayed forever young.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted January 23, 2012

Great read

I enjoyed this book very much. It does become very violent as it progresses. The ending wasn't my favorite, but I don't know that it could have ended any other way. Im glad I happened upon this book.

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Anonymous

Posted December 2, 2011

Interesting read and great fun too.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted November 17, 2011

Makes you think...but in a good way

I picked up this book because I enjoy reading futuristic books that take on an issue that could be a reality some day. The book is written as if by a blogger and I thought the way Magery included news clippings was really creative and entertaining. As some have said, the ending could have been better. The whole book up to that point was darkly funny and it took a little too much of a turn to serious and predictable for me.Overall I loved this book. I could't put it down. I highly recommend this book!

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Darkly Humorous and Terrifyingly realistic!

What if a group of scientists found a cure for aging? Would you want it? This cure doesn't encompass any diseases like cancer, AIDS, or even the common flu. So, while anyone receiving the "cure" would not age, they would still be susceptible to illness or injury. As the book explains, you would only be assured that when you do die, it would not be peacefully in your bed of old age, you pretty much are guaranteed that it will be nothing so easy. There are plenty of other ways to die, and plenty of other people who want to make sure you do. Drew Magary explores these issues and many of the possible results of this so-called "cure" such as overwhelming population growth, the horrific ways people abuse the "cure", and all of the extreme religious and socio economic repercussions and then presents it in an extremely entertaining and entirely readable narrative.

To say I was blown away by The Postmortal would be an understatement. The cartoon-like cover image and back cover blurb did not prepare me for how crazy-good this book actually was. I wasn't expecting it. This was so cleverly written. I was drawn in by the rich dark humor and the blunt, candid way the story is told. I would describe this as the "much cooler big brother" to all of the other dystopian novels I've read. I can literally picture some of these events happening within my own lifetime. And that is frightening.

The Postmortal chronicles one man, John Farrell's journey into postmortal life, after receiving the "cure". The story is told via John's personal journal and from some of the news articles and blurbs from various news feeds he included in that journal. John is almost an anti-hero, flawed in so many ways but his story is still so compelling. The news articles keep the reader updated on what is going on throughout the world and then John's journal shows how these things are affecting people on a more personal level, how they are living through and with these changes. I thought it was a very original and effective way to present a story.

This world was a terrifyingly realistic place that is all too familiar. The most frightening thing about The Postmortal is that it was so believable. From the strange religious cult to the shady government dealings, and even the mysteriously malevolent "greenies" all of it followed a very conceivable logical sequence. I was both extremely entertained and terrified at the possibility that any of this could actually happen.

The Postmortal was easily one of my favorite reads of 2011. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a thrilling dystopian adventure as well as anyone who simply wants to be thoroughly entertained.

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Anonymous

Posted October 30, 2011

Really makes you think about technological advances!

This book was amazing. I couldn't put it down! It really makes you think about the future and the ups and downs of technological advancements that will no doubt happen to our world eventually. I highly recommend!

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Good Book that could have been better

I bought this book because the story seemed fascinating and worth exploring. The reviews were good and seemed like I would make a good purchase. Although told in a unique manner, narrative in a blogging style with "internet news feeds", I enjoyed the first part of the book. After I started in on the last half, in particular the last third, the book seems to become quite predictable. Frankly the latter part of the book, because it is so predictable, drove me crazy. I give it three stars for being well written and easy to read. A good book that could have been great if the author had put in something more original in the later part of the book. I will say this; the book brings up a number of ideas that make you think.

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Anonymous

Posted September 13, 2011

Great Read

Love the Eugene, OR references. The book takes a unique approach in a 3rd person documentary read-over. It would have been great to have some of the loose ends tied off, this isnt the type of book you would expect a sequel to. Great dynamic references of the now that are woven into 'the nows' future. Overall a definite recommend!

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ToReadPerchancetoDream

Posted August 1, 2011

Entertaining, yet makes you think

The Postmortal is a powerful book. Magary takes an honest look at society's reaction to not aging - constant partying, marriages fall apart, the earth's resources are dwindling. We see John Farrell, a wise-cracking lawyer, who's life changes markedly throughout the book as he gets older without aging. His optimism turns to skepticism, even on to hopelessness. The storyline is very dark in this book, but Magary manages to add humor and lighten the mood in just the right places.

It's an interesting novel, showing how society slowly disintegrates just as it is granted one of its biggest wishes. The government begins to take total control of everyone's life...and death. This story really makes you think, even as you're being entertained.

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fans who enjoy a leisurely something different science fiction tale will want to read The Postmortal

The postmortals voluntarily have taken the Fountain of Youth Cure gene therapy that allows the recipient to remain eternally young. Though aging has been defeated that does not mean the individual cannot die as accidents, homicides, suicide and illness can still kill a person.

John Farrell who is about to take the Cure soon learns that perpetual life causes a new set of problems as the population explodes since few people are exiting. Resources have failed to keep up since the Cure was found six decades ago and ennui remains a problem for those with nothing to pass the years with like John the blogger. Thus Now in 2090 John explains life has issues that are not that different from those who lived in the pre Cure era.

This is superb clever futuristic science fiction that makes the case of eternity does not necessarily denote happiness. The story line focuses on the definitive account by John the blogger that is accepted as an accurate and valid look at the first decades after the Cure because it is written down. The story line is passive, which enhances the belief that eternity is another word for enervating ennui, but also lacks passion and action. With insight on individual and global consequences, fans who enjoy a leisurely something different science fiction tale will want to read The Postmortal.

Harriet Klausner

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